Dear Colleagues,
BOEM is pleased to share with you a new study which assessed vessel strike risk 
to Rice’s whales in the northern Gulf posed by vessel traffic specifically 
related to BOEM authorized activities, including evaluating previously employed 
methodologies for predicting Rice’s whale strike risk. The study provided 
recommendations to BOEM for additional study to inform a statistically 
meaningful vessel strike risk assessment methodology.
Stevens TS, Fonseca M, Barkaszi MJ. 2024. Vessel strike risk to Rice’s whale in 
the Gulf of Mexico: review of previous methodologies, information gaps, and 
recommendations for future efforts to predict strike risks. New Orleans (LA): 
U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. 61 p. 
Obligation No.: 140M0124P0008. Report No.: OCS Study BOEM 2024-053.

Abstract
In the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf), the endangered Rice’s whales (Balaenoptera ricei) 
are especially susceptible to vessel strike due to their surface behaviors, 
particularly at night, when individuals may spend up to 88 percent of their 
time at the surface. This behavior puts Rice’s whales within the draft of large 
vessels (i.e., cargo, tanker), increasing strike risk. High volumes of vessel 
traffic exist in the Gulf, driven by its role as a major hub for international 
and national shipping, oil and gas, and commercial fishing activities. An 
assessment of literature, reports, and data sets that present methods and 
results related to vessel strike risk for the Rice’s whale was conducted to 
inform risk assessments and to provide recommendations on future vessel strike 
risk analyses.

https://espis.boem.gov/final%20reports/BOEM_2024-053.pdf
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GOVPUB-I-cb97bfd044ffdcb8a0dcf3c801b228a3/pdf/GOVPUB-I-cb97bfd044ffdcb8a0dcf3c801b228a3.pdf

Best wishes,
Tre Glenn



Donald (Tre) W. Glenn, III, Ph.D., P.E., CFM
Protected Species Biologist
Consultation Specialist
Professional Environmental Engineer
National Certified Floodplain Manager
Contracting Officer's Representative III
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM)
GOMR, Office of Environment
Mail Stop GM 673E
1201 Elmwood Park Blvd.
New Orleans, Louisiana  70123


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